I learned my lesson – not to visit any pet shop before I know the essential tasks I need to do, such as dog proofing your house. It was love at first sight with Happy. I was only given 12 hours after my reservation to pick her up; if not, I will lose her to another person.
While I am excited to pick up Happy, my home was not ready for its arrival. There are many things to prepare the home for Happy’s arrival. If I could turn back the time, I wish I have done more. There’s a lot more to do than just putting your things away because the house is likely to be full of hazards for a curious dog. I am proud to say that my house has been kept neat and clean after Happy came into my life.
Plants
I had lots of houseplants on display. I was not aware that certain plants are toxic to dogs and, if chewed, can result in stomach problems or even death. It’s best to remove all indoor plants to avoid soiling your rugs and carpets. My recommendation is to remove the plants – give them away or get someone to help you look after them until the dog is house-trained.
Cables
Electrical cables are delicious to chew, somehow, somewhat. If you have cables from your television or electrical equipment on display, tuck them away behind furniture where curious little ones won’t access them. I bought rubber cable protector covers to hide away the wires so that Happy will not be hurt.
Footwear
I can finally resonate with how people describe that dogs can get into your possessions, such as shoes and clothing, in the same way, they can chew on cables. Happy loves my shoes, slippers, socks, and anything that smells of the foot. Oh well, she managed to grab my favourite pair of designer shoes and chew its base off. My recommendation is to get a shoe cabinet and keep all your shoes inside the closet. For the very first time, my shoes found their way to a neat, organised closet, safely out of the way of my precious Happy.
Safety gates
I wish I had bought them at the very beginning. Safety gates are one of the Must-Haves essential items. It is needed to block away dangerous places that you want your pup to avoid. For example, sofa – I wished I had bought them earlier to prevent Happy from jumping up & down and prevent any mishaps. You would also want to install child safety gates at the bottom of your stairwell to keep your pup away.